Has it happened yet? If so, what was the result?

I am anxious to hear as well. But as a practical matter, it would seem strange to have a press conference to say he is staying. I am not optimistic.

(01-05-2009 05:35 PM)Ranger Wrote:  I am anxious to hear as well. But as a practical matter, it would seem strange to have a press conference to say he is staying. I am not optimistic.

He is going pro. We are efforting to get him on the air before 6pm.

Well there you have it, he'll be back for a third year.

Quote:Rice sophomore utility back James Casey, who famously manned seven positions in one game during the 2007 season, announced today that he will forgo his final two years of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft.

Casey, 24, signed with Rice in January 2007 after spending four seasons playing professional baseball. He was a seventh-round selection of the Chicago White Sox out of Azle High School in 2003, but retired in 2006 and shopped around for a school where he could revive his football career. Casey originally signed with the Owls as a safety and spent spring drills working at defensive end before later shifting to offense.

Rice coach David Bailiff utilized Casey in multiple roles in 2007, going so far as to play him at seven different positions against Southern Miss. As the season progressed, it became obvious that Casey was most potent as a receiver, and he finished the year with 46 receptions for 585 yards and four touchdowns.

Casey (6-4, 235) also played quarterback in short-yardage situations, a role he reprised as a sophomore. However, Casey made his greatest contributions as a hybrid tight end, setting a Conference USA single-season record for receptions (111) while also breaking the school mark for receiving yards with 1,329. Casey posted 13 touchdown receptions, rushed for six touchdowns, and passed for two additional scores.

A first team All-C-USA selection and Sports Illustrated honorable mention All-American, Casey filed paperwork with an advisory committee on Dec. 2 to gauge his draft stock. Via conversations with NFL personnel, Rice officials learned that Casey could be a first-day selection. A triple major (Economics, Managerial Studies and Sports Management) with a 3.84 GPA, Casey hopes to graduate this summer.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/head...95366.html

So, a 3.84 in a little over two years???? It took me nearly twice as long to earn a GPA that was a fraction of that! Congratulations, Thor, and we look forward to seeing you play on Sundays!

A "first-day selection" would mean first or second round, right? I think it would be fantastic if Casey can get drafted that high. This'll be the first time in a looooong time I'll be keeping an eye on the NFL draft.

Congrats. Look forward to following his progress on Sundays (and on Facebook).

(01-05-2009 06:06 PM)JOwl Wrote:  A "first-day selection" would mean first or second round, right? I think it would be fantastic if Casey can get drafted that high. This'll be the first time in a looooong time I'll be keeping an eye on the NFL draft.

"First day selection" does indeed equate to first or second round.

Best wishes to Casey on his choice. We'll miss him for sure come the 2009 football season, but perhaps his hopefully high draft choice and a spectacular rookie season with a creative NFL team will give Rice more publicity than it could gain if he had stayed on with us for one more year of college. He's undoubtedly got both the physical and mental maturity to make an impact as a pro. I just hope the right team drafts him.

Best of luck to him. He could be Rice's highest draft pick since Courtney Hall and Bert Emanuel (both 2nd round picks).

Does anyone have an idea what Casey's actual height and weight might be? I looked it up - most NFL tight ends average between 6-3 and 6-5 and between 245-255. The days of the 6-6, 6-7 tight ends are mostly gone (outside of maybe Mercedes Lewis of Jacksonville).

As far as NFL longevity goes, this isn't one of the more durable positions in the league. It appears the peak years of performance are between 24-30. Gonzales is still doing well at age 32 but he's a special talent.

Thanks James for pouring your heart and soul out for the Owls for 2 years. Your passion and desire can never be replaced, but I hope it has rubbed off on the younger members of the team.

This is absolutely the best decision for him. I've seen him listed in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. I hope he is first day, but if he isn't, he is going to be a steal for somebody. I heard him listed on 610 AM on my drive home as 6-3, 235. As physical and driven as he is, I don't think he'll have too much of an issue learning the blocking techniques necessary to be a great NFL tight end.

well first day just means he will picked on the first day. first day used to mean 1-3 rounds, it has now been extended to 1-4 rounds. because they are all done on the first day. personally from what i've seen he with some good numbers in workouts he could go late first round. my minds eye says 2rd or 3rd(both are guaranteed money rounds though).

wiki:

The 2009 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place in Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft will have two rounds on the first day, and five rounds on the second day. The Detroit Lions will have the overall top selection, having clinched the worst record during the 2008 season after becoming the first NFL team in history to finish the season 0-16.

(01-05-2009 06:10 PM)ColOwl Wrote:  Best wishes to Casey on his choice. We'll miss him for sure come the 2009 football season, but perhaps his hopefully high draft choice and a spectacular rookie season with a creative NFL team will give Rice more publicity than it could gain if he had stayed on with us for one more year of college. He's undoubtedly got both the physical and mental maturity to make an impact as a pro. I just hope the right team drafts him.

This guy will definitely raise Rice football's profile nationwide. Athletic, smart, and, obviously, FOCUSED. He made the right decision to go to the NFL at this point. We'll miss him, but it will be a pleasure to watch him on Sunday.

From riceowls.com, statement released by James Casey today:

"After talking extensively with my wife and my family, I have come to the hardest decision I have ever had to make. I have decided to forgo my upcoming season as a Rice Owl and make myself eligible for the 2009 NFL Draft.

I have enjoyed every minute that I have spent at Rice University and would not trade my time here for anything in the world. I will be a Rice Owl until the day I die and feel truly blessed and honored to have been given the opportunity to attend such a prestigious university. I am confident that the Rice football program will continue to be successful and I will support the team in any way possible.

I would like to give thanks to Coach David Bailiff for all of his help and guidance, and a special thanks to Coach Tom Herman and Coach Yancy McKnight for everything they have done to make my time at Rice a memorable experience. Without Coach Herman and Coach McKnight, there is no way I would be where I am today, and I have deep gratitude for everything they have done on my behalf. I would also like to extend appreciation to Coach Rick LaFavers, Coach Dan Hammerschmidt, Coach Blake Miller, Coach Darrell Patterson, Clint Haggard, Kelly Riccardi, and the rest of the Rice football coaching staff. Thanks also to our Athletic Director, Chris Del Conte, for his efforts in building a successful Rice football program, and a warm thanks to all the great Owl fans and alums.

Most importantly, this would not be complete without thanking each of my teammates from the bottom of my heart. I owe them everything and will do my best to make them proud.

I am looking forward to this next challenge in my life and will carry the memories and experiences of my time at Rice University with me always."

Good luck to my soon-to-be favorite player in the NFL.

This is why we all went to Rice...to get a good job! Congratulations to Thor and his family, and thanks for the memories.

(01-05-2009 06:38 PM)At Ease Wrote:  wiki:

The 2009 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place in Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft will have two rounds on the first day, and five rounds on the second day. The Detroit Lions will have the overall top selection, having clinched the worst record during the 2008 season after becoming the first NFL team in history to finish the season 0-16.

In addition to the first day being only 2 rounds, it is also being moved to primetime and the first and second selection times are being shortened in length (to 10 and 5 minutes each round, I think).

Congrats to James Casey and his family. It's been a wild ride, but hopefully the journey since high school was worth it. Best of luck, especially if you can be a first day pick.

Best of luck to THOR! He will definitely be missed as an Owl, but this is a great opportunity for him.

Best wishes to Thor. Fight on for Rice's Honor.

Will Thor now be added to the rosters of some of the post-season All-star games? Or is it too late for that?

Post-season all-star games are typically limited to seniors who have finished their eligibility. It ensures that invites can be made in enough time prior to the events.

Thank you and best of luck to #12. I'm going to enjoy rooting for him on Sundays.

During the Bucket game, we had a friend of my son's sitting with us. His Dad, an Aggie, was sitting elsewhere in the stadium. During the game, the Aggie Dad sent me a text which said..."Make sure Ben (his son, the starting DE and TE on our 7th grade football team) is watching Casey. What a player!" That pretty much summed it up!

Thor, it's been an absolute pleasure watching you play for the last two years. We'll be watching on Sundays from now on.

Best of luck to you and your family!

Shouldn't THOR leave Rice on a burning pyre ... or an ice floe ???

I might actually have to watch the draft this year. Good luck to you James, I imagine it's been a pretty wild ride but you nailed both the journey *and* the destination. :)

Good luck to Mr. James Casey! Looking forward to what you can accomplish on Sundays (and of course the occasional Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

Usually I would feel irrationally bitter about a guy leaving early, but Casey left absolutely everything he had on the field. It was like watching 2 years of a 12 year old running amok in a game of 9 year olds. Not only did he have to go, I'm not sure the college game could handle him if he came back even better. Good luck at teh next level Thor!

One of the very best things about being involved in athletics is that every now and again you get to see some especially good guy (or gal) achieve something special.

James Casey is one of those good guys. So are Jarett Dillard and Chase Clement. It's been an immense pleasure watching all of them.

Thanks and godspeed, guys!

Good luck, James. We'll miss you here, but we'll be rooting for you every step of the way.

Congrats Thor! It has been a pleasure over the past two seasons to watch you line up everywhere and thoroughly dominate the opponent.

A friend of mine -- an avid supporter of one of the State U schools, told me with a straight face that he thought James Casey was the best player in college football this season.

I tried to think of a counter-argument, but could not.

I can't wait to cheer for you on Sundays!

Most of the time people leave school early to declare themselves eligible for the NFL draft (NBA too, for that matter), we bring up their decision to pass up a chance to earn an education or a college diploma, or that their college years were largely a waste. For James Casey, this is so far from the case--what he has achieved in the classroom with his courseload and GPA while balancing that with the time he dedicates to football and his family is astounding. Whatever direction his NFL career may take (I'm hoping he ends up catching the winning touchdown from Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, but I'm slightly biased on this one), he has equipped himself to suceed beyond football, and that is a rare and commendable thing.

PS. THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! (just had to do it one more time)

(01-05-2009 08:44 PM)Da.Owl Wrote:  Shouldn't THOR leave Rice on a burning pyre ... or an ice floe ???

Ouch! Let's put that on hold for now.

Good luck, Thor in the afterworld... I mean the NFL.

(01-05-2009 10:04 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  One of the very best things about being involved in athletics is that every now and again you get to see some especially good guy (or gal) achieve something special.

James Casey is one of those good guys. So are Jarett Dillard and Chase Clement. It's been an immense pleasure watching all of them.

Thanks and godspeed, guys!

Well said - absolutely my feelings as well.

(01-06-2009 01:22 AM)TFW Wrote:  

(01-05-2009 08:44 PM)Da.Owl Wrote:  Shouldn't THOR leave Rice on a burning pyre ... or an ice floe ???

Ouch! Let's put that on hold for now.

Good luck, Thor in the afterworld... I mean the NFL.

I hope he and his lovely wife make at least one appearance in Valhalla, well, just because...

A fabulous person and story. Will go down as one of Rice's finest.

I guess it's time to retire my Thor hammer that I bought for games this year. It's all just as well since someone swiped it off the table (right behind my back... a friend talking to me saw it happen but was too frozen to stop him) at the Texas Bowl pre-game Alumni party. I'm going to give the taker the benefit of the doubt that he thought it was one of the Rice provided centerpiece items for the taking.

I heard him interviewd this morning on one of the AM shows. He said he may take one or two classes this semester but, understandably, wants to concentrate on his training for now. But he's 100% sure he will earn his degree. He also said he would play any position he's asked to. "Just tell me what I need to learn."

(01-06-2009 11:40 AM)texd Wrote:  I guess it's time to retire my Thor hammer that I bought for games this year. It's all just as well since someone swiped it off the table (right behind my back... a friend talking to me saw it happen but was too frozen to stop him) at the Texas Bowl pre-game Alumni party. I'm going to give the taker the benefit of the doubt that he thought it was one of the Rice provided centerpiece items for the taking.

I saw a dude (maybe in his 30s) with that hammer near the front row (section 128), waving it around during the entire game! I was telling my wife, "Isn't that clever, that guy has a Thor hammer in honor of James Casey."

Had I know it was stolen, though, I would have made a citizen's arrest!

(01-06-2009 01:37 PM)Barrett Wrote:  

(01-06-2009 11:40 AM)texd Wrote:  I guess it's time to retire my Thor hammer that I bought for games this year. It's all just as well since someone swiped it off the table (right behind my back... a friend talking to me saw it happen but was too frozen to stop him) at the Texas Bowl pre-game Alumni party. I'm going to give the taker the benefit of the doubt that he thought it was one of the Rice provided centerpiece items for the taking.

I saw a dude (maybe in his 30s) with that hammer near the front row (section 128), waving it around during the entire game! I was telling my wife, "Isn't that clever, that guy has a Thor hammer in honor of James Casey."

Had I know it was stolen, though, I would have made a citizen's arrest!

I appreciate the vigilance, but that one was legit. That was one of my seat mates (I bought hammers for all of my seatmates at the beginning of the season) who wandered down to 128 to rub in the score with his boss (who's a TT alum, but went to WMU for grad school).

As far as his age, "maybe in his 30s" is probably a good description. [I hope you're reading this brother, 'cause I'm pulling my punches]

Videos pertaining to Thor's decision to go pro, with presser bits:

Ch. 11 got it technically correct... he is forgoing his senior season. Of course he's also forgoing his junior season.

(01-05-2009 06:51 PM)Sleepy Owl Wrote:  This is why we all went to Rice...to get a good job! Congratulations to Thor and his family, and thanks for the memories.

Great point SLEEPY.

(01-06-2009 01:51 PM)texd Wrote:  

(01-06-2009 01:37 PM)Barrett Wrote:  

(01-06-2009 11:40 AM)texd Wrote:  I guess it's time to retire my Thor hammer that I bought for games this year. It's all just as well since someone swiped it off the table (right behind my back... a friend talking to me saw it happen but was too frozen to stop him) at the Texas Bowl pre-game Alumni party. I'm going to give the taker the benefit of the doubt that he thought it was one of the Rice provided centerpiece items for the taking.

I saw a dude (maybe in his 30s) with that hammer near the front row (section 128), waving it around during the entire game! I was telling my wife, "Isn't that clever, that guy has a Thor hammer in honor of James Casey."

Had I know it was stolen, though, I would have made a citizen's arrest!

I appreciate the vigilance, but that one was legit. That was one of my seat mates (I bought hammers for all of my seatmates at the beginning of the season) who wandered down to 128 to rub in the score with his boss (who's a TT alum, but went to WMU for grad school).

As far as his age, "maybe in his 30s" is probably a good description. [I hope you're reading this brother, 'cause I'm pulling my punches]

That looks suspiciously like Tim !!! (With a texd/Marty sighting in the background)

In related news, Okla TE Jermaine Gresham, the expected top TE in this year's draft, surprisingly announced he will stay in school for another year.

This means Casey moves up one slot in the pre-combine TE rankings, might make him the premier pass catching TE in this year's draft on some team's boards. The other highly rated pass catching TE is Chase Coffman of Missouri. But it was a foregone conclusion that Gresham would be the first TE taken, with the way he dominated down the stretch.

Not to be a homer, but as for receiving TE's, there's nobody better than Casey out there, draft or not. To me, Casey is more athletic than Gresham, who is athletic in his own right, but not quite like Casey. I doubt he has softer hands than Casey, and he does not possess the acceleration, speed, vertical, or explosiveness of James. The only thing Gresham has over Casey, IMO, is a bit of size, though not necessarily more power, and more experience blocking. But as for receiving talents, Casey is the better prospect (in my amateur opinion).